Wiltielm honings and fritz sommee



No. 6l0,905. Patented Sept. 20, I898. W. HONINGS & F. SUMMER.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Appliution filed Aug. 17, 1897.)

(No Model.)

w: mums PETERS c0, mow-umo" msummox n cy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILIIELM IIONINGS AND FRITZ SOMMER, OF NEUSS, GERMANY.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,905, datedSeptember 20, 1898.

Application filed August 17, 1897. $crial No. 648,517. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILHELM Hombres and FRITZ SOMMER, subjects of theGerman Emperor, residing at Neuss, Rhenish Prussia, Germany, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Stringed Musical Instruments, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a stringed musical instrument in which theresonance is greatly improved, while the tone is made stronger andnobler.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a face view of aviolin embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section throughthe same, and Fig. 3 a crosssection through the plate 2.

\Vithin the resonance box, between back and belly of a stringed musicalinstrument, we secure a plate .2, which is free to vibrate. The plate isattached at one end directly to the rear end 7a of the violin, but may,if desired, be supported by additional meanssuch, for instance, as bybraces secured to or placed in proximity to the plate. The forward endof the plate is entirely detached and free to vibrate. The plate may bemade larger or smaller, according to the size and construction of theinstrument, and should be of concave form in cross-section. When theinstrument is played, the plate will be rapidly vibrated, and thesevibrations will be transmitted to the entire sounding-box. If desired, anumber of plates of the character described may be introduced.

What we claim is- A stringed musical instrument provided with avibrating plate which is of concave form in cross-section and projectsfrom the rear end of the instrument into the resonancebox, substantiallyas specified.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILHELM HONINGS. FRITZ SOMMER. Witnesses:

WILLIAM EssENWEIN, ERNEsr ANDRE.

